The following were among the most active shares in the
market today. Stock symbols are in parentheses after company
names.

Aston Resources Ltd. (AZT AU) rose 4.2 percent to A$9.49
and Whitehaven Coal Ltd. (WHC AU) gained 1.2 percent to A$5.71
after the Australian miners confirmed merger talks. The
discussions are confidential with no guarantee a transaction
will take place, they said in filings today.

Centro Retail Australia (CRF AU) closed at A$1.74 on its
debut on the Australian Securities Exchange after Centro
Properties Group shareholders and lenders agreed to a plan to
wipe out A$2.9 billion ($3.1 billion) of debt and allow the
creation of the new entity.

Echo Entertainment Group Ltd. (EGP AU) rose 1.3 percent to
A$3.83 after the owner of four Australian casinos had its rating
raised to “hold” from “sell” by Adam Alexander, an analyst
at Goldman Sachs Australia Pty.

Energy Resources of Australia Ltd. (ERA AU) rose 9.8
percent to A$1.57. The uranium miner was the biggest gainer on
the benchmark index after Australia’s ruling Labor Party ended a
ban on exports of the nuclear fuel to India. Shares of other
producers and explorers gained, with Deep Yellow Ltd. (DYL AU)
rising 10 percent to 16 cents and Paladin Energy Ltd. advancing
2.4 percent to A$1.71.

James Hardie Industries SE (JHX AU) rose 0.4 percent to
A$6.98 after the building products company affirmed its full-year earnings forecast.

Rio Tinto Group (RIO AU), the world’s third-largest miner,
advanced 1 percent to A$67. The company faces further
fluctuations in metal prices as markets weigh economic prospects
for next year on concern Europe’s debt crisis will derail a
global recovery, Chief Executive Officer Tom Albanese said
yesterday on Australian Broadcasting Corp. television.

Sky City Entertainment Group Ltd. (SKC NZ) rose 0.3 percent
to NZ$3.40 after the New Zealand casino owner agreed a NZ$185
million ($144 million) seven-year banking facility to repay U.S.
private placement debt of around NZ$250 million.

Tabcorp Holdings Ltd. (TAH AU) declined 0.7 percent to
A$2.80 after Australia’s biggest owner of betting shops was cut
to “sell” from “hold” at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which
said earnings may stall in the next two years on higher license
costs and a “lack of positive catalysts.”